Wren | Actions

Impact

Small impact

Cost

Saves money

Time

Immediate

Lighting accounts for around 15% of an average home's electricity use. The average household saves about $225 in energy costs per year by using LED lighting.

Compared to incandescent bulbs, energy-efficient light ones last up to 25 times longer and use about 75% less energy! That means you'll save money not only on your energy bill, but also on your bulb replacement costs. The best part is they've become as cheap upfront as incandescents. So if you're still using incandescent lighting, run to your nearest home improvement store and make that replacement to slash your footprint and energy bills.

The good news is many regions and countries have banned or are phasing out incandescent light bulbs, such as the EU, the US, Malaysia, South Korea, Canada, Argentina, and Brazil.

Picking Out Bulbs

Picking out bulbs is fairly easy, with the considerations largely remaining the same as with your current lighting setup:

  1. Brightness: Energy efficient bulbs come in a variety of brightness levels to suit your needs. For example, a 60 watt equivalent LED bulb will produce the same amount of light as a 60 watt incandescent bulb, but use far less energy.
  2. Color Temperature: This is a measure of the bulb's "warmth" or "coolness." Warm white bulbs have a yellowish tone and are best for living rooms and bedrooms, while cool white bulbs have a bluish tone and are better for kitchens and bathrooms.
  3. Base Type: Make sure to choose a bulb with a base type that is compatible with your light fixtures.
  4. Dimmability: If you want the ability to dim your energy efficient bulbs, look for bulbs that are specifically labeled as "dimmable."